Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; early and freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with dark red-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia variabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDAHHYPREDVELVET’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely branching and flowering habit, attractive ray floret coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Hillegom, The Netherlands of an unnamed selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia variabilis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Large inflorescences with dark red-colored ray florets.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in ray floret coloration and plant shape.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Fidahhypre’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,252. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidahhypre’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more vigorous and taller than         plants of ‘Fidahhypre’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia had darker red-colored ray florets         than plants of ‘Fidahhypre’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia had longer flowering stems than         plants of ‘Fidahhypre’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 19° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve             days at temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; tuber development has not             been observed on plants of the new Dahlia.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted triangle;             freely basal branching with about four to five primary             lateral branches developing per plant, each primary lateral             branch with numerous secondary branches; inflorescences held             above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; bushy and dense             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Aspect: Erect to             somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; leaves may be single or compound with             three or occasionally five leaflets.         -   Length.—About 10 cm to 12 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate to dentate.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;             slightly rough.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B to 148C.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;             venation, close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 148B; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Decorative-type inflorescence             form with ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit with about 20 to 40 inflorescences             developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from spring             through the autumn in The Netherlands; early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about 7.5 to 8.5 weeks after             planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10 cm to 12 cm. Depth             (height): About 6 cm to 8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm.             Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 2             cm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 70 to 80             arranged in about nine whorls. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width:             About 1.4 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to             eventually roughly perpendicular to the peduncle; ray             florets cupped to flat. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 53A; towards the base, close to NN66A. When opening,             lower surface: Close to between 67A and 53B. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 46B; with development, color             becoming closer to 44B and at the base, close to 3B. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N66B.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 to 25.             Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular,             elongated; apices obtuse. Color, when opening: Apex: Close             to 1B. Mid-section: Close to 1C. Base: Close to 1D. Color,             fully opened: Apex: Close to 1B. Mid-section and base: Close             to 1C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About seven to eight             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 11 cm to 14 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Aspect: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 17A. Anther shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About 9 mm. Anther width:             About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 6A. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium: Not             observed. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Dahlia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia tolerate high     temperatures about 35° C. and short periods of low temperatures     about 5° to 10° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhypredvelvet’ as illustrated and described. 